Anatomy of a Trumpian.

May 9, 2016

Leo is a Trumpian. He’s 36, from the Midwest, and describes himself ethnically as “a typical American Heinz 57.” He was a registered independent voter who sometimes votes Republican, until he had to register as a Republican to vote for Donald Trump. He works in the tech industry and says he’s middle class but slipping.

He has been in the New Yorker’s camp since the midway point in the primary season. At the same time he doesn’t consider himself a “fan.”

“Am I a fan of Donald Trump?

To me, a fan is a person who simply has a superficial attraction to someone. Maybe they are good-looking, or funny, or sexy. A supporter is someone who is in favor of the principles and character of the person.

I don’t find Mr. Trump’s campaign persona very attractive, but I can see why he has adopted it. In a field of 17, being a carbon copy won’t get you noticed very much.

I didn’t really think I could support him at first. I thought his slogan was just that–a pitch, a marketing ploy.

I changed my mind when I caught one of the town halls where he just talked about what he believes is wrong with the country and how he would fix it. I saw the man behind the mouth.

By the way, I never watched another debate after the first two. Talk about phony, those things were so phony and so obviously just to benefit media ratings that they were useless to me.

Do I have reservations about Mr. Trump?

Yes. It’s hard to let go of something when it’s working, and I’m afraid that he will hang on to this current version of himself too long. I don’t believe that he is a bigot, or that he hates women as a group. Those are labels hung on him by his opponents, right and left. He needs to back off on the personal attacks and run on his agenda, and against Hillary’s and Obama’s incompetence and dishonesty. It’s time for Trump 2.0.

Do I think he will be elected?

That’s a tough one. I think he should be elected because he truly wants to drag the country back from the edge. If he picks a running mate with good military and foreign policy as well as political experience, then I think he can win. I was happy when he said he was looking for those qualities in his VP search. It takes a big man to admit that he needs help, and he’s done that, so yes, I think he can win.

Will he be elected is another story. He currently has or will have between 11 and 12 million voters. He needs another 55 million or so to win. I worry whether there are that many people with guts still left in the country.

Am I surprised that he’s the last one standing?

Honestly, no. I mean, look what the GOP had to offer to run against him. With the exception of Ted Cruz, they were all the same person. When the crybaby conservatives and mush-mouth establishment Republicans whine about him, they need to remember they had the same shot he did. The people don’t want more of the same.

What do I think of Paul Ryan’s public opposition?

What do you expect? Most of the GOP is still looking for Ronald Reagan. President Reagan was the right man for his time, but his time is over. This is not 1980, and the Soviet Union is not our only enemy. If Ryan wants unity, maybe he’d better start practicing what he preaches.

This whole thing feels like watching a bad episode of some ’50’s sitcom, where the in-laws are fighting at the dinner table.

Do I think he’s conservative enough?

I don’t think he is a GOP-defined conservative at all, and I wouldn’t vote for him if he was. Again, this is not 1980, or 1955. Look at the last eight years. Conservatives have screwed us over just as much as liberals, because it’s got to be their way or the highway. They get on their high horse and claim they are holding to their principles. What are those anyway? A national blue law? A world where everything is fair and God will make it all OK? I mean, they are living just as much in an alternate universe as Obama and Clinton are. Ted Cruz is a textbook conservative, and he’s not the presumptive nominee.

Trump is a realist. I think his basic nature is certainly far more conservative than a Clinton or a Sanders, but he isn’t enslaved by some artificial definition of right and wrong or good and evil.

You didn’t ask, but here’s what I think about a 3rd party conservative candidate. Do you really want to run against Clinton with the message “we’re against raising the minimum wage?” You had an ultra-conservative candidate running, but he didn’t win. Who are you going to run? St. Peter isn’t available.

Do I think he can make America great again?

I think he can give us the right blueprint, maybe put up the basic structure, but ultimately, we the people have to make the country great again. At least with Mr. Trump we will get a chance to try.”

Note: In this first in a three-part series, Leo (not his real name) answered these questions via email. The only things changed or added for publication were the font, his name and the link to the term blue law.

Next time: a voter who describes herself as “decidedly undecided” about Mr. Trump.

Related

Thanks for the comment , freedomfighter1995. A lot of people agree with you, but some see his personality as more supremely confident than narcissistic. I think you’ll be interested in what some of the others say about him. Stay tuned.

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